Begining Fencing
Start your adventure here...
Our beginner fencing class covers all the basics. Students will engage in drills to build skill and confidence, including learning to referee a bout. And, of course, we'll Fence!
City of Peoria
Beginning Fencing
SYLLABUS
Beginning Fencing (one hour class)
Week #1 Week #1 Homework (5 minutes daily)
Safety First Engarde position in front of mirror
Warm up & stretching Deep squat in Engarde position (10x daily)
Engarde position Advance (10x daily)
Advance, Retreat Retreats (10x daily)
Fit for gear
Agility games
Salute
Week #2 Week #2 Homework (5 minutes daily)
Warm up & stretching Engarde position in front of mirror
Review Engarde position, advance, retreat, Deep squat in Engarde position (10x daily)
Extend, recover Advances, retreats, extend, recover (10x daily)
Gear up
Pairs drills advance, retreat, extend, repost, distance
Agility game
Salute
Week #3 Week #3 Homework (5 minutes daily)
Warm up & stretching Engarde position in front of mirror
Review prior weeks Deep squat in Engarde Position (10x daily)
Gear up Lunge, recover (10x daily)
Lunge & Recover
Pairs drills distance, extend, lunge
Fencing in pairs
Salute
Week #4 - 7 Week #4-7 Homework (5 minutes daily)
Warm up & stretching Deep squat in Engarde position (10x daily)
Gear up Lunge, recover (10x daily)
Pairs drills advance, retreat, extend, repost, Advance-Lunge, recover (10x daily)
disengage, parry, lunge, advance lunge
Referee practice
Open fence
Salute
Week #8 Week #8 Homework
Warm up, stretching Sign up for next class!
Gear up
Open fence
Salute
GLOSSARY
Fencing Terms
Advance: Taking a step towards one’s opponent. Lift front toe first, land both feet same time.
Beat: Sharp tap on the opponent’s blade to initiate an attack or provoke a reaction.
En Garde: Position taken before fencing commences. Dominant hand/leg front, knees slightly bent,
front toe pointed forward, back foot at 90 degrees to front foot. Front facing joints
aligned (toe, knee, hip, shoulder, elbow, wrist) Shoulders level, torso balanced.
Lunge: Most common attacking technique, in which the fencer extends weapon, launches
themselves at their opponent by pushing off from the back leg (which generally
remains stationary). Advance front foot (land heal first) front knee bent at 90 degree
angle, back arm extended for balance.
Parry: Defensive action in which a fencer blocks his opponent’s blade.
Piste: French term for the fencing strip.
Recover: The return to the Engarde position.
Retreat: Taking a step away from opponent. Back toe first, then both feet land same time.
Riposte: Defender’s offensive action immediately after parrying their opponent’s attack.
Salute: Salute at beginning and ending of engagement, to opponent, referee & audience.
Point to floor in front, raise forward to level, raise to face, then back down to floor.
Strip: Fencing area, 14 meters long by 2 meters wide.
Touch: Scoring a point
Fencing Gear
Mask Fencing specific mask to guard face & neck
Plastron Underarm protection of dominant arm
Plastic Chest protection
Jacket Outer layer to protect body
Glove Dominant hand protection (last item put on)
Epee Weapon
Body Cord Electronic connection to scoring equipment